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December 20, 2009

Almond Kringler

We have reached the seventh, and last installment in my 7 Cookies of Christmas series. As with the previous two, for this final cookie, I've turned to an old family recipe that always makes its way onto the Christmas cookie buffet. I hope that's reason enough to believe that they're all-around favorites. Granted, if that were always the case, we'd assume that lutefisk actually was loved by all instead of acknowledging the fact that it's served due to stubborn tradition and stubborn tradition only. Not enough butter and bacon in the world could make gelatinous cod soaked in lye delicious.

But let's get back on track here.

Let's talk things that really are delicious and worthy of applause. Let's talk about Almond Kringler and how I secretly wished I didn't like my co-workers so that I'd have reason to save the whole batch for myself. Picture a simple, buttery base layer joined by a rich, eggy (and also buttery) almond pastry and smothered with an almond butter cream. Ok, so it's really more of a cake or a coffee hour pastry. But nevermind that. My logic is simple: if it finds its way into a cookie tin, it's a cookie. And if we call it a cookie, then it becomes more innocent to eat five or six. Eat five or six pastries, on the other hand? Not even an 8-month pregnant lady has an excuse for that kind of gluttony.

Despite the three layers, almond kringler is a cinch. Really, it is. Start to finish; you're looking at one hour- including prep and clean up. That's faster and easier than most cookies! And if you're an almond fan, then you have double the reason to try a batch of kringler. With almond in the top two layers and a scattering of thinly sliced almond to decorate, this just might be my favorite dessert of all-time. There, I said it.

Supposedly this is a Swedish recipe, although most Swedes and Norwegians will tell you that kringler is a yeasted coffee cake-like braid and not a rich pastry.

Almond Kringler

Recipe from my mom, Rachel Larson, St. Paul, MN

*Makes a 12" x 16" (30cm x 40cm) kringler rectangle that can be cut down into 2-dozen large, or 3-dozen small kringlers.

Preheat oven to 450F/220C. Mix the flour and butter well. Add the cold water, a little at a time. Spread onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spreading out with a spatula or your fingers into a 12" x 16" (30cm x 40cm) rectangle.

Heat the water and butter in a medium pan on stovetop until butter has melted. Remove from heat and quickly beat in the flour. Place the pan over low heat and stir until a ball forms. Beat in the eggs, one-by-one. Add the almond extract, then spread the mixture over the first (crust) layer with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then turn temperature down to 350F/175C, and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. The kringler should be golden-brown on top and puffy. Removed from oven and allow to cool while you make the frosting.

Mix everything together well (sans sliced almonds). Spread evenly over the cooled kringler. Top with sliced almonds, if desired, then refrigerate until serving. When serving, slice kringler into rectangular pieces while still cold and serve either cold or at room temperature (I like them best cold!) Great with coffee or a glass of milk.

We have eaten Almond Kringlers a hundred times but never tried to make one! I think I'm gonna make this next week after I visit my dentist and my mom in Fort Mill. I hope the kids will love it! Can I add chocolate to the frosting?

Kristen, I can't really imagine anyone not loving this. As for the chocolate, I wouldn't go that route. It seems a bit excessive and I would imagine it would battle a bit with the almond flavor. Then again, it could surprise us and be fantastic. Maybe try some chocolate shavings, instead?

I grew up with this, in Lindsborg, KS--little Sweden USA (although there are a few towns that claim that =). We always called it Swedish Kringler, although I know there are a few different types of desserts called Kringler. One of my favorite foods, and a must for bake sales!!

Shel- I've never heard of Lindsborg- there are definitely more than one town in MN and WI that claim to be "Little Sweden". My mom calls this Swedish Kringler too. Would be a good bake sale item- easy (and relatively cheap) to make and makes an impressive display.

I was trying to making kringle from a recipe my mom gave me from a friend of hers from church to whom it was handed down by her mother, but it didn't say how thin to roll the bottom layer, and I just couldn't remember from the last time we'd made it. Google brought me to you, and I was so delighted to find that our recipes were nearly identical (unlike a lot of the other recipes I saw that looked nothing like this).

This is so exciting! Do I bake the first layer first, and the second layer second then put it on top of the first layer? Or do I spread the first layer on the cookie sheet, then put the second layer on top, THEN bake the two layers at the same time?

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